Here are 20 strategies for stretching your grocery budget without skimping on nutrition or enjoyment

1. Eat less.

Sixty percent of Americans admit to eating more than is good for them. When you're watching your pennies, one of the easiest ways to spend less on groceries is to buy less and eat less. Start by cutting way back on snacks, the culprit behind most overeating and among the most expensive grocery items.

3. Buy in bulk.

Whether it's dividing up large Costco meat packages or hauling 50-pound bags of grain from a feed store, there are lots of ways to save by bulk buying. The important thing is to safeguard against waste by making sure you have a safe place to store it and that you will use the entire purchase before it goes bad.

4. Do the work.

You can make your own bread for half the price of a low-end store-bought loaf, and end up with a more delicious and nutritious product. Pre-chopped and washed veggies cost a premium and don't stay fresh as long. Roll up your sleeves and do your own prep work to save.

5. Substitute

6. Stop throwing food away.

Since 40% of all food produced in the United States is thrown away, eliminating waste is low-hanging fruit. At our house, we avoid waste by serving the kids small portions and seconds (or thirds) as needed, using tiny containers to save every last leftover, and incorporating those leftovers into other dishes. There are plenty more ways to cut food waste.

7. Drink water.

You know by now that soda is bad for you, but you don't need juice either. If you don't like plain water, flavor it with a splash of juice instead of pouring whole glasses of juice. Not only does this save money, but it cuts calories, too.

8. Try batch cooking.

Assembly line cooking, once-a-month cooking, whatever you want to call it, prepping food ahead and freezing it saves money by accommodating bulk purchases and helping you avoid high-priced instant meals when you're short of time.

9. Rinse out the container — into the pot.

Whenever I empty a jar of tomatoes or a Tupperware of soup into a cooking pot, I put a little water in the container, shake, and empty it into the cooking pot, to make sure I'm not throwing away even a gram of food. The extra water cooks off.

13. Make your own instant mixes.

14. Consider markdowns.

I kind of wish Safeway would rename its "Clearance" meat section, because it feels as if I'm buying used pot roast. Still, taking home items that are about to expire can save you 50% or more if you are able to use or freeze them right away.

16. If you're getting a pet, get a small one.

It may seem crass to put a pound limit on love, but the fact is that feeding pets can strain a tight grocery budget. According to the ASPCA, a large dog costs about $235 a year to feed; a little yapper only about $55. Better yet, get a fish, which you can feed for $20 a year or less.

17. Use a full discount arsenal.

18. Switch stores.

Where you shop can make a big difference in what you spend for the same groceries. Changing from Safeway to Walmart could save a family more than $1,600 a year. Explore your neighborhood — you may have a fresh produce market or a weekly farmer's market with even better prices than big box stores.

19. Return it.

Your berries got moldy the day after you bought them? You picked up the wrong item and paid full price instead of the sale item you thought you were getting? Don't be afraid to stop by customer service the next time you visit; managers at good stores are happy to process the occasional refund.

20. Eat your garbage.

My grandmother, born during the Depression, has a great anecdote. One garbage day, her husband looked out the window and asked why the other houses all had two trash bags out front, but they only had one.

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Grandma's answer: "We eat our garbage!"

Grandma was stretching her husband's Navy paycheck as far as it would go, and one way she did that was by never letting a leftover go to waste. Every Thursday night, she'd throw every bit of this and that from the fridge into the crockpot for a weekly "garbage stew." It was usually delicious, but even if she wanted to, she could never duplicate it. (See also: Thursday Night Soup: Delicious Soup From Leftovers)